People in Guam unfazed by threat of nuclear war with North Korea

A tourist frolics in Tumon beach on the island of Guam, a US Pacific Territory, August 10, 2017. Source: Reuters/Erik De Castro

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SINCE North Korea’s military declared on Thursday it was considering a plan to fire four intermediate-range missiles close to the US territory of Guam, the people of the tiny island seem to be taking things in their stride.

There was little sign of panic from people on the tourist-heavy island reported Reuters. Clarissa Baumgartner, a 25-year old Guam resident, told Reuters the threats – the second of its kind in two days – wasn’t “something she was taking too seriously”.

“I’m not really too worried about it. I feel it would be a pretty stupid idea to do that.”

Meanwhile, Baumgartner, a supervisor at a high-end clothing store, said she was confident US forces would intervene if things got out of hand.

“Definitely, I know Guam is a pretty good target because it’s important to the US because of the military,” she said. “I’m pretty confident the US will protect us. It makes me feel pretty good.”

A tourist walks his dog along Tumon beach on the island of Guam, on Aug 10, 2017. Source: Reuters/Erik De Castro

According to the Korean Central News Agency, as quoted by South Korean news agency Yonhap, the nation is “seriously examining the plan for an enveloping strike at Guam through simultaneous fire of four Hwasong-12 intermediate-range strategic ballistic rockets in order to interdict the enemy forces on major military bases on Guam and to signal a crucial warning to the US”.

Tensions between the two countries have risen markedly in the last few days after North Korea warned the US of a “severe lesson” following United Nations action against it. President Donald Trump, in turn, warned any threats to the US from North Korea would be met with “fire and fury.”

North Korea dismissed on Thursday Trump’s warnings as a “load of nonsense,” and that only “absolute force can work on him.”